I've never understood what Frasers claims to fame is. From what little I've seen and read about
him, he was little more than a petty crook. He was never involved in any major 'jobs' that brought
in a stash of any size. He never made enough money to retire on, and if it wasn't for his association
with the Krays and the Richardsons nothing he has to say today would attract the interest of the
media.

It depends on whether you find local history interesting or not, i.e people talking about their lives - different lives, different talks. Like it or not, he is part of our history. It's not to everyone's taste & you don't have to go! He was called the most dangerous man in Britain by two Home Secretaries. He loved violence. How do you know what he was or wasn't involved in?! It's hard to make huge amounts of cash from crime unless you're grassing. The authorities hated him, which is good enough for me as they're robbing us blind every day. I think it's funny that he's made a couple of quid out of crime by giving talks & is still getting up people's noses!

Unless you lived the poverty, it's hard to imagine the deprivation that some endured, theft meant survival for a lot of people. I myself was arrested for taking a bar of chocolate from a boy who had broken into a factory ( mence smith's at the borough!) I had to attend Greenwich Court, two police officers took me to the borough police station! stealing by handling I think they called it...so there I am a convicted felon! I was 11 or 12......

If Frankie Fraser makes a living writing about his dodgy dealing and violence, whats the difference between him writing a book and a politician taking us to war writing his biography?

Also I would like to add that the 'powers that be' were quite happy for people to live in dire poverty, working their fingers to the bone & expected them to doff their caps at the same time (quite hard to do - try it sometime!) At least people like Frankie, Mr Richardson etc not only took back money from them but also refused to take part in this set up.
I'm not trying to romanticise it, & it wasn't the only option, but it was one of them. As Jan has implied - if your were honest you didn't eat. I admire them taking control of their lives (up til being slung inside of course) & sticking two fingers up at the powers that be at the same time. There is genuine affection & respect for the 'old school' for this in South London to this day. Frankie Fraser has as much right to talk about his life as anyone else.

My dad, who's now 80, grew up in New Cross, where it was a matter of pride that his dad had a job so he had shoes to go to school in and that his mother never had to 'borrow' food from a neighbour. He also takes honesty very seriously, presumably on the basis that this was an important dividing line. However he retained an empathy for those who perhaps could not afford to be honest and ended up taking the wrong track. However theft was one thing, violence another. Even if you are poor you don't need to be violent.

He ended up as a senior policeman, where I assume it was useful to understand where people like Frankie Fraser came from. I shall ask him more.

Can't believe there are so many people willing to promote a self-confessed extremley violent villan. While the rest of nations men were in Europe fighting the Nazis in WW2 he was robbing, blackmailing and cutting up any one who stood in his way. He is quoted as saying "It breaks my heart that Hitler surrendered", he's also has chatted gleefully about cutting people up - "great"; swinging iron bars at people - "lovely"; and sorting people out with guns - "obviously" He is scum.

Broadmoor inmate, firebomber, prison rioter - a thief. 26 convictions. 42 years inside. In the 60's Frank chose to pitch in with Charlie and Eddie Richardson and their South London alleged 'Torture Gang'